Date: November 25,2014

CJCU Volunteers in Chiang Rai

On June 25, 2014, the first team of volunteers, led by Professor Su Wen-Pin of the Department of Social Works and Professor Chen Tsai-Ti of the Department of Translation and Interpretation Studies, departed for Da Tong Junior High School in the northern Thai province of Chiang Rai. This is the first corps of CJCU volunteers working overseas. The goals of their month long volunteer project are to promote international exchanges, to broaden horizon, to demonstrate the results of service education of CJCU, to improve relationship with overseas Chinese schools, and to strengthen bilateral ties.

The nature of the service work at Da Tong consists of teaching Chinese, English and computer skills to the students at Da Tong. Professor Chen also conducted English teacher training workshop. Professor Su hoped that the students from both schools could learn and understand each other's culture and lives and grow. Therefore, all participants must take part in the planning of their teaching plans and service details. The aim is for students to learn about the spirit and meaning of teamwork.

The CJCU volunteer project to Thailand is partly funded by grants from Youth Development Administration of the Ministry of Education. There are two terms of the volunteer service to Da Tong. Each term lasts for a month, making CJCU the university with the longest serving period at Da Tong. Professor Su Wen-Pin, the project manager, believes that service work should not be transient. Rather, it should be accumulative and continuous. Therefore, there is an overlap of the two terms this summer to ensure that the work carried out by the first team is successfully completed by the second team.

Professor Su says that only by actually participating in the project can one truly understand the value one gets out of volunteer work. The principal of Da Tong is very satisfied with the work of CJCU students. Therefore, more plans are expected for volunteers to go to Da Tong during the winter vacation.